When to go to Georgia

Three climates in one small country

East of the Likhi Range, where Tbilisi and Kakheti are, the climate is fairly dry. Summers are hot, and winters are mild with little snow. In July and August Tbilisi averages 31-32 °C in the afternoon and about 20 °C at night, and some days go above 35 °C. The city gets only about 500 mm of rain a year, most of it in May and June.

Batumi and the rest of the coast are humid. Batumi gets about 2,500 mm of rain a year, around five times as much as Tbilisi, and it is the wettest city in Georgia. Summer there is warm rather than hot, 25-28 °C in the day, but the humidity makes it feel heavier. The most rain falls from September to December and the least in May. People swim from mid-June to the end of September.

The mountains have their own weather. Stepantsminda in Kazbegi sits at about 1,740 m and Gudauri at about 2,200 m. In July and August it is around 20 °C there in the day and cool in the evening, even in summer. In the high mountains winter lasts from November to April, and some passes are open only in summer.

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Kakheti wine day

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Spring and early summer

In April and May the lowlands turn green. Tbilisi is about 19 °C in the afternoon in April, when the fruit trees blossom, and about 24 °C in May. This is a good time for Tbilisi, Mtskheta, Kakheti and western Georgia. The waterfalls are at their fullest in spring, while the snow melts in the mountains.

Up in the mountains it is still winter for a while. You can go to Kazbegi and Svaneti, and the snowy peaks look their best in spring, but the high trails stay under snow until about mid or late June. The road to Tusheti over the Abano Pass usually opens only in June.

May and June bring Tbilisi's heaviest rain of the year, mostly as afternoon thunderstorms. Many people find May and June the best months for a first trip. It is warm but not yet hot, prices are lower than in summer, and the days are long. In June the sun rises in Tbilisi around 5:30 and sets around 20:40.

If you head into the mountains in March or April, remember that avalanches and mudslides are still possible. Before a trip to Kazbegi or Svaneti, check the notices of the Roads Department of Georgia.

Summer, July and August

Summer is the time for the sea and the high mountains. The water in Batumi warms to 24-25 °C in July and to about 25 °C in August, and the beaches are crowded. Our guide to Batumi and around covers what to see.

In the mountains this is the most reliable time. The trails in Kazbegi and Svaneti are free of snow, the guesthouses in Ushguli and Tusheti are open, and the trek from Mestia to Ushguli is busy with hikers. More on Svaneti in our Mestia and Ushguli guide.

Tbilisi and Kakheti are hot at this time of year. Walk around the city in the morning and evening, spend the middle of the day in a museum or a restaurant, or go up into the mountains for a day, where it is about 10 degrees cooler.

For long drives, set off early in the morning before the heat. In summer, mudflows sometimes close the road through the Dariali Gorge towards the Russian border, as happened on 13 August 2026. Tbilisi to Batumi takes 4-5 hours by car on the new highway, and summer train tickets sell out fast.

Autumn and the grape harvest

Mid-September to mid-October is the best time for almost any trip. Tbilisi is about 26 °C in the afternoon in September and about 20 °C in October. The sea in Batumi is still warm in September, and the weather in the mountains is more settled than in summer. Experienced hikers rate September as the best month for trekking.

This is also rtveli, the grape harvest. In Kakheti it usually runs from September to mid-October, and the exact days depend on the year and the grape variety. Many family wineries invite guests to pick and press grapes, and the evening ends at the table. Read more in our guide to the Kakheti wine route.

Tastings are easier with a driver. You choose the stops, the car waits at every winery, and nobody has to stay sober for the drive back. See our Kakheti wine tour.

Autumn is the rainy season in Batumi, and from November the whole country goes quiet. Tbilisi is about 13 °C in the afternoon, there are few tourists and prices are the lowest of the year.

The days get shorter fast in autumn. In mid-October it gets dark in Tbilisi around 18:20, in mid-November around 17:40, and earlier still in the mountain gorges. From mid-October the first snow can fall in the high mountains, and the Tusheti road usually closes during October.

Winter, skiing and closed passes

Winter in Tbilisi is mild. In January it is about 7 °C in the afternoon and around 0 °C at night, and snow is rare and does not stay long. In December the city has Christmas markets, and early January is holiday time.

In the mountains it is ski season. Gudauri usually runs from late December to mid-April, and Bakuriani from the second half of December to late March or early April. February often has the best snow. The resorts are fullest and most expensive over the New Year holidays. Getting there and ski pass prices are in our guides to Gudauri in winter and Borjomi and Bakuriani.

Batumi stays mild in winter, about 10 °C in the day, but it rains often.

From 1 December to 1 March winter tyres are compulsory between Mleta and Kobi, the stretch that includes Gudauri. When the avalanche risk is high, the section over the Jvari Pass between Gudauri and Kobi is closed, sometimes for several days, and Kazbegi cannot be reached by road until it reopens. Our guide to the road from Tbilisi to Kazbegi has the details. The road to Ushguli is also often closed after snowfall. In December it gets dark in Tbilisi around 17:30, so plan to be back from the mountains before dark.

Our drivers know when the pass is closed, so you do not have to follow the road news yourself. For skiers there is the Tbilisi to Gudauri transfer, and child seats are free.

Georgia month by month

The temperatures below are average afternoon highs, rounded. For Tbilisi they are the 1991-2020 normals. For Batumi the sources differ by 1-3 degrees, so we give a range. On any given day it can be several degrees warmer or colder.

• January. Tbilisi about 7 °C by day and around 0 °C at night, Batumi 9-11 °C. New Year, Christmas and the middle of the ski season.
• February. Tbilisi about 8 °C, Batumi 10-11 °C. Often the best snow in Gudauri and Bakuriani, and few tourists in the cities.
• March. Tbilisi about 13 °C, Batumi 13-14 °C. Spring starts in the lowlands, the mountains are still in winter and Gudauri is still open.
• April. Tbilisi about 19 °C, Batumi 16-17 °C. Orchards in blossom and few tourists. Orthodox Easter often falls in April.
• May. Tbilisi about 24 °C, Batumi 20-22 °C. Everything is green, with some thunderstorms in Tbilisi. There are many public holidays, and Tbilisi usually holds its New Wine Festival in May.
• June. Tbilisi about 28 °C, Batumi 24-25 °C. Sea swimming starts in mid-June, and the high trails open towards the end of the month.
• July. Tbilisi 31-32 °C and sometimes hotter, Batumi 25-28 °C, the sea 24-25 °C. Peak season for beaches and hiking.
• August. Just as hot in Tbilisi, Batumi 25-28 °C, and the sea at its warmest, about 25 °C. The busiest and most expensive month.
• September. Tbilisi about 26 °C, Batumi 23-25 °C, the sea 22-24 °C. Rtveli begins and Batumi gets more rain. The best month for trekking.
• October. Tbilisi about 20 °C, Batumi 20-22 °C. The harvest goes on until mid-month. Tbilisoba is usually early in the month and Svetitskhovloba on 14 October. The first snow can fall in the high mountains.
• November. Tbilisi about 13 °C, Batumi 15-17 °C and rainy. Quiet and cheap, with snow already in the mountains.
• December. Tbilisi about 8 °C, Batumi 11-14 °C. Christmas markets in Tbilisi, and the ski resorts open in the second half of the month.

Holidays worth planning around

Georgia follows the Orthodox calendar, so Christmas is on 7 January and Easter often falls on a different Sunday from Western Easter.

• 1-2 January, New Year. Public holidays, and the busiest days of the season at the ski resorts.
• 7 January, Orthodox Christmas. In Tbilisi the Alilo procession walks along Rustaveli Avenue to Sameba Cathedral, and traffic in the centre is restricted while it passes.
• Orthodox Easter. The date changes every year, and in 2027 it falls on 2 May. Good Friday to Easter Monday are public holidays, which in 2027 means 30 April to 3 May. On Saturday night every church holds the Easter service.
• May. Besides Easter, 9, 12, 17 and 26 May are days off. 26 May is Independence Day.
• Tbilisoba, the city's festival, with music, food and wine in the old town and Rike Park. It is usually held on a weekend in early October. In 2026 it was on 3-4 October, and in 2025 it was moved to September because of the elections. The dates are announced shortly before.
• 14 October, Svetitskhovloba, also called Mtskhetoba. It is a public holiday. A festive service is held at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, and the town fills with pilgrims. If you want to see Mtskheta in peace, pick another day.

Prices and crowds by season

July and August are the busiest and most expensive months. Hotels in Batumi and guesthouses in the mountains fill up, and train tickets to Batumi are best bought about a week ahead.

Mid-September to mid-October is the second peak. Kakheti is busy at weekends during the harvest, so book rooms in Sighnaghi and Telavi early. In winter the cities are quiet and cheap, but the ski resorts are fully booked over the New Year holidays.

November, March and early April are the cheapest months, except at the ski resorts. The weather is less reliable then, but there are few tourists.

Whatever month you land in, we meet flights at Tbilisi Airport at any hour. The price is fixed and you pay the driver at the end of the ride. See the Tbilisi airport transfer. If this is your first trip, take a look at our 7-day route around Georgia.